Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 23:57:36 EST
From: Darrell128
Subject: NR 98020: CRC Synod Askes to Delete Anti-Catholic Statement from Heidelberg
Catechism'
NR #1998-020: Christian Reformed Synod Asked to Delete Anti-Catholic Statement
from Heidelberg Catechism
Should the Christian Reformed Church delete a statement in its doctrinal
standards declaring that the Roman Catholic Mass "Thus the Mass is basically nothing
but a denial of the one sacrifice and suffering of Jesus Christ and a condemnable
idolatry.?" The answer seemed obvious to Classis Lake Erie, which with little
debate unanimously adopted an overture asking the Christian Reformed synod to
delete that language from the Heidelberg Catechism. The only discussion on the
floor of classis was whether some of the quotations in the document were correctly
attributed. While getting Classis Lake Erie to adopt the overture may have
been easy, getting the Christian Reformed synod to change a confession which
was first written over four centuries ago and which has been used by the CRC
since it began in 1857 will be quite a bit more difficult. "I can't imagine
that a decision of this magnitude would be made on the basis of one look at it
at one synod, that would be very uncharacteristic," said CRC General Secretary
Dr. David Engelhard.
NR 1998-020: For Immediate Release:
Christian Reformed Synod Asked to Delete Anti-Catholic Statement from
Heidelberg Catechism
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
United Reformed News Service
EAST LANSING, MICH. (March 25, 1998) URNS - Should the Christian Reformed
Church delete a statement in its doctrinal standards declaring that the Roman
Catholic Mass "is nothing but a of the one sacrifice and suffering of Jesus
Christ and a condemnable idolatry?"
The answer seemed obvious to Classis Lake Erie, which with little debate
unanimously adopted an overture asking the Christian Reformed synod to delete
that language from the Heidelberg Catechism. The only discussion on the floor
of classis was whether some of the quotations in the document were correctly
attributed.
While getting Classis Lake Erie to adopt the overture may have been easy,
getting the Christian Reformed synod to change a confession which was first
written over four centuries ago and which has been used by the CRC since it
began in 1857 will be quite a bit more difficult. "I can't imagine that a
decision of this magnitude would be made on the basis of one look at it at one
synod, that would be very uncharacteristic," said CRC General Secretary Dr.
David Engelhard. "It is possible it could be put into the hands of a committee
for further reflection, but it's possible that synod could argue that we
studied this fifteen or twenty years ago."
Engelhard's mention of prior study refers to requests by Rev. James LaGrand
and by Classis Rocky Mountain which had asked Synod 1975 to delete or amend
Question and Answer 80 of the Heidelberg Catechism in which the catechism asks
"How does the Lord's Supper differ from the Roman Catholic Mass?" The
catechism responds with a statement of Reformed theology on the sacrament of
the Lord's Supper and then answers that "the Mass teaches that the living and
the dead do not have their sins forgiven through the suffering of Christ
unless Christ is still offered for them daily by the priests. It also teaches
that Christ is bodily present in the form of bread and wine where Christ is
therefore to be worshipped. Thus the Mass is basically nothing but a denial of
the one sacrifice and suffering of Jesus Christ and a condemnable idolatry."
Synod rejected LaGrand's request to delete the question entirely, asked a
denominational study committee to look at proposed amendments, and decided in
1977 not to change the language on five grounds, including that "a historical
creed must not be altered without weighty reasons," and that the "statements
of [the Roman Catholic Council of Trent] which answer 80 rejects have not been
repudiated by the Roman Catholic Church."
Synod 1977's fourth reason for keeping QA 80 was the most detailed: "Although
the language in answer 80 appears sharp, such indignation at the withholding
of assurance of salvation from believers is not inappropriate to a
confessional statement. Trent speaks rather sharply too. And the acts of
teaching and refuting are frequently coupled in the New Testament."
Those arguments weren't persuasive to Classis Lake Erie or to First CRC of
Detroit, which brought the overture to classis "due to our increasing
association with our brothers and sisters of the Roman Catholic Church."
"Members of the Christian Reformed Church marrying people from other
denominations, and in particular the Roman Catholic faith, is increasing as is
our association with Roman Catholics generally," wrote the church in its
overture. "When prospective members coming to the Christian Reformed Church
from Catholic background are instructed in the Christian Reformed Church
doctrines, they are offended and puzzled by the strong language used in QA
80."
While acknowledging that the catechism "might be historically accurate to the
1500's," First Detroit CRC argued that "churches of any denomination rarely,
if ever 'repudiate' previous positions. Over time, however they do change
them. The Roman Catholic Church as shown in its new confession with the
Evangelical Lutheran Church and as stated in the Baltimore Catechism, believes
in justification by faith alone."
First Detroit CRC noted a Joint Declaration on Justification made by North
American Roman Catholics with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Among the statements cited are a provision that "justification thus means that
Christ himself is our righteousness, in which we share through the Holy Spirit
in accord with the will of the Father. Together we confess: By grace alone, in
faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are
accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while
equipping and calling us to good works." It also quoted the Roman Catholic
Baltimore Catechism's statement that "on the cross Christ physically shed his
blood and was physically slain, while in the Mass that is no physical shedding
of blood nor physical death, because Christ can die no more; on the cross
Christ gained merit and satisfied for us, while in the Mass he applies to us
the merits and satisfaction of his death on the cross."
As a result, First Detroit CRC argued that the CRC synod should remove QA 80
from the text of the Heidelberg Catechism while placing an appendix at the
back of the catechism indicating when it was included by the authors and when
it was removed by the Christian Reformed Church.
In the formal grounds, the classis argued that "the phrase 'is a condemnable
idolatry' should be reserved for describing actions of persons who don't
believe in justification by faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior," that
"practice of basic love, unity, and understanding among Christians today
demands the removal of QA 80 from confessional status in the CRCNA," and that
"QA 80 was not included in the original text of the Heidelberg Catechism and
was added only as a response to statements in the Council of Trent made in
December of 1563."
While First Detroit CRC noted that its overture stemmed from increasingly
close contacts with Roman Catholics, a Calvin Seminary professor who has
decades of close contacts with Catholics said his own experience led him to
opposite conclusions.
Missions professor Dr. Roger Greenway, who for fifteen years served as a
Christian Reformed missionary to Mexico and as Latin American secretary for
the CRC board of world missions, said he teaches a seminary class citing at
least seven different theological positions within the Roman Catholic Church
in Latin America.
"Sometimes you've got to have a rock thrown against the back of your head to
wake you up," said Greenway. "I've had that, and people who have forever all
their lives met with some genteel Roman Catholics, who have always lived in
the atmosphere of a rather evangelical Roman Catholicism in North America
which has been leavened by a predominantly Protestant environment, when these
folks get down into a culture where the Roman Catholic Church has dominated
for who knows how many hundreds of years, they get shocked."
"In trying to analyze the Roman Catholic Church in Latin America, I came up
with seven or eight 'faces' of the Roman Catholic Church in Latin America, and
some of them are very different from one other," said Greenway, noting that
the Catholics range "from the traditional Trent-like Catholic Church to
churches that are almost indistinguishable from evangelical churches, except
that there is still a formal adherence to the Papacy, to the Vatican, and to
the statements that remain unchanged."
According to Greenway, the "number one problem" with revising the Heidelberg
Catechism is that the Roman Catholic statements of the Council of Trent, which
the Heidelberg Catechism was written to oppose, haven't been changed by the
Catholic Church.
In its seventh session, the Council of Trent declared that "in order to
destroy the errors and to extirpate the heresies, which have appeared in these
our days on the subject of the said most holy sacraments; as well those which
have been revived from the heresies condemned of old by our Fathers, as also
those newly invented, and which are exceedingly prejudicial to the purity of
the Catholic Church, and to the salvation of souls" it would adopt a number of
canons. Among them are Canon IV stating that "if any one saith, that the
sacraments of the New Law are not necessary unto salvation, but superfluous;
and that, without them, or without the desire thereof, men obtain of God,
through faith alone, the grace of justification; though all (the sacraments)
are not indeed necessary for every individual; let him be anathema." In its
thirteenth session, the Council of Trent decreed in Chapter V that the
consecrated Host may "be borne reverently and with honour in processions
through the streets, and public places" in order that "all Christians may,
with a special and unusual demonstration, testify that their minds are
grateful and thankful to their common Lord and Redeemer for so ineffable and
truly divine a benefit, whereby the victory and triumph of His death are
represented." The canons of the Thirteenth Session also anathematize Reformed
doctrine with Canon I specifying that "if any one denieth, that, in the
sacrament of the most holy Eucharist, are contained truly, really, and
substantially, the body and blood together with the soul and divinity of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ; but saith that He is
only therein as in a sign, or in figure, or virtue; let him be anathema" and
Canon VI specifying that "if any one saith, that, in the holy sacrament of the
Eucharist, Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, is not to be adored with the
worship, even external of latria; and is, consequently, neither to be
venerated with a special festive solemnity, nor to be solemnly borne about in
processions, according to the laudable and universal rite and custom of holy
church; or, is not to be proposed publicly to the people to be adored, and
that the adorers thereof are idolaters; let him be anathema."
Trent barred even public advocacy of the Reformed position on justification
through faith alone without use of confession to a priest by means of Canon XI
of the Thirteenth Session, specifying that "if any one saith, that faith alone
is a sufficient preparation for receiving the sacrament of the most holy
Eucharist; let him be anathema. And for fear lest so great a sacrament may be
received unworthily, and so unto death and condemnation, this holy Synod
ordains and declares, that sacramental confession, when a confessor may be
had, is of necessity to be made beforehand, by those whose conscience is
burthened with mortal sin, how contrite even soever they may think themselves.
But if any one shall presume to teach, preach, or obstinately to assert, or
even in public disputation to defend the contrary, he shall be thereupon
excommunicated."
In its twenty-second session, the Council of Trent, "because that many errors
are at this time disseminated and many things are taught and maintained by
divers persons, in opposition to this ancient faith, which is based on the
sacred Gospel, the traditions of the Apostles, and the doctrine of the holy
Fathers; the sacred and holy Synod, after many and grave deliberations
maturely had touching these matters, has resolved, with the unanimous consent
of all the Fathers, to condemn, and to eliminate from holy Church, by means of
the canons subjoined, whatsoever is opposed to this most pure faith and sacred
doctrine," and adopted even sterner canons against Protestant views of the
Lord's Supper.
Canon I specifies that "if any one saith, that in the mass a true and proper
sacrifice is not offered to God; or, that to be offered is nothing else but
that Christ is given us to eat; let him be anathema." Canon II specifies that
"if any one saith, that by those words, Do this for the commemoration of me
(Luke xxii. 19), Christ did not institute the apostles priests; or, did not
ordain that they, and other priests should offer His own body and blood; let
him be anathema." Canon III says the same about those who say "that the
sacrifice of the mass is only a sacrifice of praise and of thanksgiving; or,
that it is a bare commemoration of the sacrifice consummated on the cross, but
not a propitiatory sacrifice; or, that it profits him only who receives; and
that it ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, pains,
satisfactions, and other necessities;" Canon IV anathematizes those who say
"that, by the sacrifice of the mass, a blasphemy is cast upon the most holy
sacrifice of Christ consummated on the cross; or, that it is thereby derogated
from." Canon V anathematizes those who say "it is an imposture to celebrate
masses in honour of the saints, and for obtaining their intercession with God,
as the Church intends," and Canon VI anathematizes those who say "that the
canon of the mass contains errors, and is therefore to be abrogated."
Following canons anathematize those who say the Roman Catholic sacramental
ceremonies and vestments are incentives to impiety, who say private masses by
priests are unlawful, who condemn "low tones" of speaking in parts of the Mass
so that the congregation cannot hear the words spoken, who say water ought not
to be mixed with the sacramental wine, and who say the mass should only be
celebrated in the language used by the people.
While the Roman Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council has endorsed
masses in the language used by the people in the church, it has never revised
Trent's doctrine that masses in Latin are proper and that use of the common
language is not necessary.
Greenway acknowledged movement in Roman Catholic practice since the Council
of Trent, but argued that changing Trent's condemnation of Protestant views
would be necessary before Protestants should consider changing their responses
to those condemnations.
"I have a copy of the recent Catechism of the Catholic Church, and that makes
statements that I don't think the Catholic Church in the sixteenth or
seventeenth century ever would have said," said Greenway. "The problem as I
see it is that there is movement, but no retraction of the anathemas. I don't
see any repentance or retraction on the part of the hierarchy."
"I am waiting for the Catholic Church to deal with some of the contradictions
that are appearing within their own statements and certainly among their own
clergy," said Greenway. "You can't have it seven different ways, unless
pluralism has come to mean you can believe and confess anything and still stay
under one umbrella."
Despite the Catholic Church's failure to amend or retract the decrees of the
Council of Trent, Greenway said he expects the Christian Reformed synod to
appoint a study committee responding to Classis Lake Erie's overture. "I'm not
surprised an overture like this is coming from our classes today," said
Greenway. "I suspect that ministers who have spent their entire time in North
America and have not dealt with the other faces of the Roman Catholic Church
today probably wonder whether this question and answer is correct in what it
says."
"I certainly am willing to listen to those who are taking essentially
biblical positions on a number of issues, but then I want them to say, 'We
were wrong in the sixteenth century, we repent, we shouldn't have expelled
Martin Luther and John Calvin, and we're sorry about that,'" said Greenway. "I
think integrity requires that you face your history and either renounce it and
say 'We were mistaken,' or you say 'We were right but we want to show a
different face today.'"
Cross-References to Related Articles:
[No related articles on file]
Contact List:
Rev. William C. De Vries, Pastor, First Christian Reformed Church
1444 Maryland, Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230
O: (313) 824-3511 * H: (313) 824-1789
Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in North
America
2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560
O: (616) 246-0744 * H: (616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 * E-Mail:
engelhad@crcna.org
Dr. Roger S. Greenway, Professor of World Missiology, Calvin Theological
Seminary
3233 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4387
O: (616) 957-6933 * H: (616) 874-7039 * FAX: (616) 957-8621
Pastor George Vander Weit, Stated Clerk, Classis Lake Erie
2901 Waterloo Dr., Troy, MI 48084
O: (810) 645-1990 * H: (810) 649-5388 * E-Mail: northhills@juno.com
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